Living in the here and now
by suckerfortruelove13
Summary: A one-shot about Emma's reaction to the Ariel story when Killian finally decides to tell her about it and her support when he expresses his main insecurity.


This is actually my first fanfiction story ever so please show some understanding about any mistakes. I really hope you enjoy it. Please let me know in the reviews what you think of it,.

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Once upon a time, Killian or Emma. Just writing!:)

Emma was taken aback by the hurt and petrified look on his face. She just couldn't understand how it was possible for him to fear her reaction on anything, especially something that had nothing to do with her. Subsequently a fearful thought crossed her mind. What she has been so frightened of all this time. Maybe he didn't trust her. Maybe he never did. She could not leave things like that; she had to fully comprehend the situation. "Why on Earth would you think that this would change anything? When I started suspecting you've been keeping something from me I thought it would be too unbearable to swallow, but this! It is definitely painful, but we should have talked about it, Killian. I thought we were going to move on, I thought…" and then she paused for a moment trying to drown a small sob coming out of her, stuttering her next words. "I thought you trusted me…"

He glimpsed at her in awe. "You think I don't trust you and that is why I never told you Emma?" She nodded quietly. "Well it's not." he replied, a slight offence in his voice. "How can you not understand, Swan?" He questioned if he should move on but he couldn't keep the words from flowing out of his mouth anyway. "The problem is not that I don't trust you, it's the fact that my past is too heavy and dark even for me to bare. I am trying my best to leave all of that behind; nevertheless I still have to prove myself to you every single day. As if being damaged goods wasn't enough already I then need to-"

"Excuse me?" she interrupted in a genuine shock he could not help not noticing. "Damaged goods? You think that all this time you have been damaged goods to me?" Her voice began to turn fuming only in the thought that this is what he believed. "How could you say that? How could you possibly think that low of yourself or me? Why would you think that?"

Killian was surprised by her reply but still he continued trying to release all these feelings that had been crouching in him for so long. "Oh come on, let's face it, lass. You're trying to convince a man with a missing limb and a body scarred from three centuries of battles which is not even nearly as scarred as his formerly dark soul that he has something, anything, to offer you?"

"Yes you idiot, **YOU**!" and then Emma froze. She had no idea that all this time this is what he has been thinking of himself. Her voice and face softened in love and compassion when she looked back at his deep, ocean-blue eyes and added: "I never minded your missing hand or the scars on your body. They definitely hide a lot of history that you are obviously so dearly trying to forget, but they are part of you, Hook. I didn't merely fall in love with you, despite a few things I would put up with in the long run. I fell in love with you for who you are. All these wounds hurt and tormented you in the past and, in many ways, they still do, but they are your choices and choices, bad or good, make us who we are. I never asked you to prove yourself to me, because I have already seen the good in you. Since that time in Neverland, when I realized you actually changed. I saw something in you that I didn't use to, I saw you for who you are and who we really are never changes. You made mistakes just like we all do and I am sure we will both repeat some of them later. I myself have a very dark past too but instead of sinking in it, I move on and I concentrate on the present and future. A future including you in every single way…"Her voice turned lighter and softer now. "We have been trying to work on our pasts and help each other move on and I don't intend on changing that, do you hear me? And, to quote an extremely intelligent and, I have to say, really cute guy I once met, 'all that matters is living in the here and now'. But don't ever even think about mentioning yourself as 'damaged goods', ok?

During all this speech she had just delivered, Killian gradually changed how he had been seeing things in this relationship. His heart warmed up and a little grin started forming on his lips, eventually developing into a wide smile filled with adoration. He didn't know how to respond. He started with a subtle "Swan…", but he paused there not knowing how to go on. Emma knew that, she sensed it somehow, so she pressed a gentle kiss on his lips and peacefully whispered "_I love you._" He took a tiny step back and looked straight into her eyes. "I never thought I could be loved again, I guess with you, Swan, everything is a surprise though." He smiled and brushed her blond hair with worship. "_You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you feel as I do_", he continued. This time he pressed his lips against hers. A slow, lustful kiss, similar to the one in Neverland, but this time more affectionate. They still had many issues to discuss and resolve but nothing mattered at this point. Only this kiss. His lips moving sweetly till the crook of her neck, brushing chaste kisses there and then all the way back to the lobe of her ear. Just this moment.


End file.
